Steve Davis, President of the Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions™, was recently honored at the 8th Annual Armed Forces Congressional Gala Dinner with the prestigious “Congressman Bill and Mrs. Beverly Young Humanitarian of the Year Award,” for the donation of his personal custom 1964 Ford Fairlane.
Donating for a Good Cause
Davis donated the vehicle to be auctioned for The Armed Forces Foundation, an organization that helps military members and families in times of need, at the 2011 Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Collector Car Auction this past September. Entrepreneur Ron Pratte successfully bid on the car for $700,000 and then promptly and altruistically donated the car back to the Armed Forces Foundation, to be bid on again at the 2012 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in January.
In January, Ted McIntyre, CEO of Louisiana-based Marine Turbine Technologies, successfully bid on the Fairlane for $1 million. The reaction at both auctions was beyond enthusiastic and Barrett-Jackson waived all consignment fees at both auctions.
McIntyre joined Davis at the who’s who of Washington D.C. event on March 27 where he shared the “Congressman Bill and Mrs. Beverly Young Humanitarian of the Year Award”. During the event, in front of more than 70 members of congress, Army and Navy personnel including Generals and other high-ranking military officers, McIntyre announced that that he would be donating the car back to the Armed Forces Foundation and it would be sold once again at a future Barrett-Jackson auction.
A Commitment to Philanthropy
This donation is just the latest in Barrett-Jackson’s strong commitment to philanthropy. The company has raised more than $39 million for various charitable organizations since 2006, and more than $45 million since its first auction. At the most recent Scottsdale auction in January, Barrett-Jackson raised nearly $5.9 million for at least 20 charitable causes.
“I am beyond humbled to be a recipient of this prestigious award,” said Davis. “To see the outpouring of support we generated for our troops and their families was spectacular. I am so honored to be able to help those who fight for our country; it is these men and women who make me proud to be an American.”